Twisted Roads – Twisted Horror Stories by Matthew Tonks

Alliances

“Can we really trust him? He’s like, our greatest enemy,” she says.

“I know, I know, but the very world threatens to shatter itself into a million pieces. I don’t see that we have any other choice.”

They look over towards where he sits, grinning proudly at them both. “What are you guys talking about?”

“How far we can trust you.”

“Oh, I like that—honest answers. Does this mean we’re all pals now?”

“What the fuck, you’re lucky I have—”

“Vanessa, don’t. No matter what we think, no matter how much history is between us all, we need him,” he says as he grabs her by the arm.

“BULLSHIT we do! Have you forgotten what he did to Sonya and Carrion? We don’t need a piece of scum like this, not now, not EVER! We both know that once we’ve served our usefulness, he’ll turn on us, like he always does. And then what? He’ll kill one of us? Can you live with more blood on your hands, Gregor? My blood?”

“You know it’s not like that. You know we don’t have any other choice. If Sandow gets his hands on the rings, then everything we know will be nothing. Can you live with that? We have a chance to stop him, a chance we can’t ignore. We have to put the past behind us and let the bad blood between us go.”

“Bad blood? BAD BLOOD? Carrion was my brother, Sonya was your friend, and this piece of filth killed them! He deserves the same fate, not a chance to live, not an opportunity to survive—he deserves to DIE!”

He clears his throat and slowly raises his hand into the air. They both quickly turn to him, their frustration evident. He swallows and laughs nervously. “I do hate to interrupt, but you know she’s right, don’t you?” he says.

“Shut the fuck up, Colgrave. The grown-ups are talking.”

“EXCUSE ME? I will not shut the fuck up, not when you two are arguing over things that don’t matter, not when the very existence of this world is at stake. Now, if I—the most diabolical, evil genius the world has ever seen—was able to put my feelings aside to come here and join you in your battle to stop Sandow, then it must stand true that you, the beacons of hope, the superheroes of the world, should be able to put aside your feelings as well. For together, we can reach the final ring before he does and put a stop to this foolishness once and for all.”

“Are you fucking for real?”

“I am indeed for fucking real, for if I were not, I would not be here.”

“No, fucktard, you misunderstand my question. What I said was, are you for real? And by that, I meant, are you insane? Off your tree? Fucked up in the head? Because you’d have to be to think that you’re the bigger person here, putting aside your feelings,” she says as she swings back around to Gregor. “Can’t you see what this demented freak is doing? He’s trying to play with our heads, stir up trouble like he’s always done! He doesn’t want to help protect the last ring; he just wants to be a pain in the arse.”

“You never said you had the last ring,” Colgrave says softly, his eyes growing wide.

“That’s because it’s a fucking secret,” she yells, turning back to him. The smile that grows on his face says more than any words could. “Oh fuck,” she mutters under her breath.

“Oh fuck indeed,” he says as his eyes glow a fiery yellow, and his size begins to grow. His muscles tear through his clothing and then, through his skin itself, until it stands before them and smiles. “Now, give me my ring!” Sandow growls.